The YJC Program provides an alternative to formal court proceedings when dealing with young people alleged to have committed certain offences. Youth Justice Committees involve trained community members who meet in-person and/or virtual with persons harmed, accused young people and their parents/caregivers to negotiate an appropriate way for the young person to make amends for their actions.
Goals of the Program:
- To discuss what happened and help the young person better understand the motivation behind their actions
- To help the young person better understand the effect their actions had on the person harmed, their families, and the community
- To determine as a group, what can be done to repair the harm caused by the offence
Inclusionary Criteria:
- Youth who reside in Peel, Toronto or Dufferin County
- Youth ages 12-17 years, at the time of the offence
- Youth who take responsibility for the offence and want to make amends by completing agreed-upon responsibilities
- Youth who have a parent or other responsible adult who agrees to participate in the process
Exclusionary Criteria:
- Young persons who are not prepared to be accountable for their actions
- Young persons not aware of their options and rights
- Young persons not willing to participate in the program
Referral Sources:
- Crown Attorney’s Office (Peel Court, Toronto (Finch) Court & Dufferin Court)
- Transfers from other jurisdictions as applicable
- In Dufferin, referrals may also be made pre-charge by Dufferin OPP, and Shelburne Police
Referral Process:
Eligible youth may complete an application for YJC at their court appearance, to be approved by the Crown Attorney. After a court appearance, eligible youth from Peel, Toronto, or Dufferin will be contacted by a YJC Coordinator and advised of the date, time, and location for an initial interview.
Additionally, in Dufferin, the Police may refer a young person to the YJC Program “pre-charge”. The young person will be contacted by the YJC Coordinator to schedule an interview.
The YJC Program Supervisor is available to answer any questions you may have regarding the referral process or program criteria.